Apparatus, system and method of communicating via a plurality of sectorized antennas

ABSTRACT

For example, an apparatus may include a plurality of Physical layer (PHY) components including circuitry to communicate via a respective plurality of sectorized antennas of a wireless station over a directional frequency band; a plurality of lower Medium Access Control (MAC) components, a lower MAC component of the plurality of lower MAC components configured to control channel access of the wireless station via a respective sectorized antenna of the plurality of sectorized antennas, and to process MAC Protocol Data Units (PDUs) to be communicated via the sectorized antenna; and an upper MAC component configured to cause the wireless station to transmit an information element via at least one sectorized antenna of the plurality of sectorized antennas, the information element comprising at least a MAC address of the wireless station, and a field to indicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs) of the plurality of sectorized antennas.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments described herein generally relate to communicating via aplurality of sectorized antennas.

BACKGROUND

A wireless communication network in a millimeter-wave band may providehigh-speed data access for users of wireless communication devices.

Some Specifications may be configured to support a Multi User (MU)system, in which an Access Point (AP) simultaneously transmits frames toa plurality of stations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in thefigures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, thedimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to otherelements for clarity of presentation. Furthermore, reference numeralsmay be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogouselements. The figures are listed below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustration of a system, inaccordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an architecture of a wirelessstation having a plurality of sectorized antennas, in accordance withsome demonstrative embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a coverage scheme of a pluralityof sectorized antennas of an Access Point (AP), in accordance with somedemonstrative embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method ofcommunicating via a plurality of sectorized antennas, in accordance withsome demonstrative embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method ofcommunicating with a wireless station having a plurality of sectorizedantennas, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of a product of manufacture, inaccordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth in order to provide a thorough understanding of some embodiments.However, it will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the artthat some embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, unitsand/or circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscurethe discussion.

Discussions herein utilizing terms such as, for example, “processing”,“computing”, “calculating”, “determining”, “establishing”, “analyzing”,“checking”, or the like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) ofa computer, a computing platform, a computing system, or otherelectronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform datarepresented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within thecomputer's registers and/or memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computer's registersand/or memories or other information storage medium that may storeinstructions to perform operations and/or processes.

The terms “plurality” and “a plurality”, as used herein, include, forexample, “multiple” or “two or more”. For example, “a plurality ofitems” includes two or more items.

References to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “demonstrativeembodiment”, “various embodiments” etc., indicate that the embodiment(s)so described may include a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes theparticular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated useof the phrase “in one embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the sameembodiment, although it may.

As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinaladjectives “first”, “second”, “third” etc., to describe a common object,merely indicate that different instances of like objects are beingreferred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so describedmust be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking,or in any other manner.

Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with various devices andsystems, for example, a User Equipment (UE), a Mobile Device (MD), awireless station (STA), a Personal Computer (PC), a desktop computer, amobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tabletcomputer, a server computer, a handheld computer, a handheld device, awearable device, a sensor device, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, aPersonal Digital Assistant (PDA) device, a handheld PDA device, anon-board device, an off-board device, a hybrid device, a vehiculardevice, a non-vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a consumerdevice, a non-mobile or non-portable device, a wireless communicationstation, a wireless communication device, a wireless Access Point (AP),a wired or wireless router, a wired or wireless modem, a video device,an audio device, an audio-video (A/V) device, a wired or wirelessnetwork, a wireless area network, a Wireless Video Area Network (WVAN),a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless LAN (WLAN), a Personal AreaNetwork (PAN), a Wireless PAN (WPAN), and the like.

Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with devices and/or networksoperating in accordance with existing IEEE 802.11 standards (includingIEEE 802.11-2012 (IEEE 802.11-2012, IEEE Standard for Informationtechnology—Telecommunications and information exchange between systemsLocal and metropolitan area networks—Specific requirements Part 11:Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY)Specifications, Mar. 29, 2012); IEEE802.11ac-2013 (“IEEE P802.11ac-2013,IEEE Standard for Information Technology—Telecommunications andInformation Exchange Between Systems—Local and Metropolitan AreaNetworks—Specific Requirements—Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium AccessControl (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications—Amendment 4:Enhancements for Very High Throughput for Operation in Bands below 6GHz”, December, 2013); IEEE 802.11ad (“IEEE P802.11ad-2012, IEEEStandard for Information Technology—Telecommunications and InformationExchange Between Systems—Local and Metropolitan Area Networks—SpecificRequirements—Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) andPhysical Layer (PHY) Specifications—Amendment 3: Enhancements for VeryHigh Throughput in the 60 GHz Band”, 28 Dec., 2012); IEEE-802.11REVmc(“IEEE 802.11-REVmcTM/D3.0, June 2014 draft standard for Informationtechnology—Telecommunications and information exchange between systemsLocal and metropolitan area networks Specific requirements; Part 11:Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY)Specification”); IEEE 802.11ax (IEEE 802.11ax, High Efficiency WLAN(HEW)); IEEE802.11-ay (P802.11ay Standard for InformationTechnology—Telecommunications and Information Exchange Between SystemsLocal and Metropolitan Area Networks—Specific Requirements Part 11:Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY)Specifications—Amendment: Enhanced Throughput for Operation inLicense-Exempt Bands Above 45 GHz)) and/or future versions and/orderivatives thereof) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof,devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existingWireless-Gigabit-Alliance (WGA) specifications (Wireless GigabitAlliance, Inc WiGig MAC and PHY Specification Version 1.1, April 2011,Final specification) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof,devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existing WirelessFidelity (WiFi) Alliance (WFA) Peer-to-Peer (P2P) specifications (WiFiP2P technical specification, version 1.5, Aug. 4, 2014) and/or futureversions and/or derivatives thereof, devices and/or networks operatingin accordance with existing cellular specifications and/or protocols,e.g., 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), 3GPP Long TermEvolution (LTE) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof,devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existing Bluetooth(BT) specifications and/or protocols and/or future versions and/orderivatives thereof, units and/or devices which are part of the abovenetworks, and the like.

Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with one way and/or two-wayradio communication systems, cellular radio-telephone communicationsystems, a mobile phone, a cellular telephone, a wireless telephone, aPersonal Communication Systems (PCS) device, a PDA device whichincorporates a wireless communication device, a mobile or portableGlobal Positioning System (GPS) device, a device which incorporates aGPS receiver or transceiver or chip, a device which incorporates an RFIDelement or chip, a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transceiver ordevice, a Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO) transceiver or device, aMultiple Input Single Output (MISO) transceiver or device, a devicehaving one or more internal antennas and/or external antennas, DigitalVideo Broadcast (DVB) devices or systems, multi-standard radio devicesor systems, a wired or wireless handheld device, e.g., a Smartphone, aWireless Application Protocol (WAP) device, or the like.

Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with one or more types ofwireless communication signals and/or systems, for example, RadioFrequency (RF), Infra Red (IR), Frequency-Division Multiplexing (FDM),Orthogonal FDM (OFDM), Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access(OFDMA), FDM Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM), Time-Division MultipleAccess (TDMA), Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO), Spatial Division MultipleAccess (SDMA), Extended TDMA (E-TDMA), General Packet Radio Service(GPRS), extended GPRS, Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), WidebandCDMA (WCDMA), CDMA 2000, single-carrier CDMA, multi-carrier CDMA,Multi-Carrier Modulation (MDM), Discrete Multi-Tone (DMT), Bluetooth®,Global Positioning System (GPS), Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, ZigBee™, Ultra-Wideband(UWB), Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), 2G, 2.5G, 3G, 3.5G,4G, Fifth Generation (5G), or Sixth Generation (6G) mobile networks,3GPP, Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE advanced, Enhanced Data rates forGSM Evolution (EDGE), or the like. Other embodiments may be used invarious other devices, systems and/or networks.

The term “wireless device”, as used herein, includes, for example, adevice capable of wireless communication, a communication device capableof wireless communication, a communication station capable of wirelesscommunication, a portable or non-portable device capable of wirelesscommunication, or the like. In some demonstrative embodiments, awireless device may be or may include a peripheral that is integratedwith a computer, or a peripheral that is attached to a computer. In somedemonstrative embodiments, the term “wireless device” may optionallyinclude a wireless service.

The term “communicating” as used herein with respect to a communicationsignal includes transmitting the communication signal and/or receivingthe communication signal. For example, a communication unit, which iscapable of communicating a communication signal, may include atransmitter to transmit the communication signal to at least one othercommunication unit, and/or a communication receiver to receive thecommunication signal from at least one other communication unit. Theverb communicating may be used to refer to the action of transmitting orthe action of receiving. In one example, the phrase “communicating asignal” may refer to the action of transmitting the signal by a firstdevice, and may not necessarily include the action of receiving thesignal by a second device. In another example, the phrase “communicatinga signal” may refer to the action of receiving the signal by a firstdevice, and may not necessarily include the action of transmitting thesignal by a second device.

As used herein, the term “circuitry” may refer to, be part of, orinclude, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), anintegrated circuit, an electronic circuit, a processor (shared,dedicated, or group), and/or memory (shared, dedicated, or group), thatexecute one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logiccircuit, and/or other suitable hardware components that provide thedescribed functionality. In some embodiments, the circuitry may beimplemented in, or functions associated with the circuitry may beimplemented by, one or more software or firmware modules. In someembodiments, circuitry may include logic, at least partially operable inhardware.

The term “logic” may refer, for example, to computing logic embedded incircuitry of a computing apparatus and/or computing logic stored in amemory of a computing apparatus. For example, the logic may beaccessible by a processor of the computing apparatus to execute thecomputing logic to perform computing functions and/or operations. In oneexample, logic may be embedded in various types of memory and/orfirmware, e.g., silicon blocks of various chips and/or processors. Logicmay be included in, and/or implemented as part of, various circuitry,e.g. radio circuitry, receiver circuitry, control circuitry, transmittercircuitry, transceiver circuitry, processor circuitry, and/or the like.In one example, logic may be embedded in volatile memory and/ornon-volatile memory, including random access memory, read only memory,programmable memory, magnetic memory, flash memory, persistent memory,and the like. Logic may be executed by one or more processors usingmemory, e.g., registers, stuck, buffers, and/or the like, coupled to theone or more processors, e.g., as necessary to execute the logic.

Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction with a WLAN,e.g., a WiFi network. Other embodiments may be used in conjunction withany other suitable wireless communication network, for example, awireless area network, a “piconet”, a WPAN, a WVAN and the like.

Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction with awireless communication network communicating over a frequency band of 60GHz. However, other embodiments may be implemented utilizing any othersuitable wireless communication frequency bands, for example, anExtremely High Frequency (EHF) band (the millimeter wave (mmWave)frequency band), e.g., a frequency band within the frequency band ofbetween 20 Ghz and 300 GHZ, a frequency band above 45 GHZ, a frequencyband below 20 GHZ, e.g., a Sub 1 GHZ (S1G) band, a 2.4 GHz band, a 5 GHZband, a WLAN frequency band, a WPAN frequency band, a frequency bandaccording to the WGA specification, and the like.

The term “antenna”, as used herein, may include any suitableconfiguration, structure and/or arrangement of one or more antennaelements, components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. In someembodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receivefunctionalities using separate transmit and receive antenna elements. Insome embodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receivefunctionalities using common and/or integrated transmit/receiveelements. The antenna may include, for example, a phased array antenna,a single element antenna, a set of switched beam antennas, and/or thelike.

The phrases “directional multi-gigabit (DMG)” and “directional band”(DBand), as used herein, may relate to a frequency band wherein theChannel starting frequency is above 45 GHz. In one example, DMGcommunications may involve one or more directional links to communicateat a rate of multiple gigabits per second, for example, at least 1Gigabit per second, e.g., 7 Gigabit per second, or any other rate.

Some demonstrative embodiments may be implemented by a DMG STA (alsoreferred to as a “mmWave STA (mSTA)”), which may include for example, aSTA having a radio transmitter, which is capable of operating on achannel that is within the DMG band. The DMG STA may perform otheradditional or alternative functionality. Other embodiments may beimplemented by any other apparatus, device and/or station.

Reference is made to FIG. 1, which schematically illustrates a system100, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

As shown in FIG. 1, in some demonstrative embodiments, system 100 mayinclude one or more wireless communication devices. For example, system100 may include a first wireless communication device 102, and/or asecond wireless communication device 140.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may include amobile device or a non-mobile, e.g., a static, device.

For example, devices 102 and/or 140 may include, for example, a UE, anMD, a STA, an AP, a PC, a desktop computer, a mobile computer, a laptopcomputer, an Ultrabook™ computer, a notebook computer, a tabletcomputer, a server computer, a handheld computer, an Internet of Things(IoT) device, a sensor device, a handheld device, a wearable device, aPDA device, a handheld PDA device, an on-board device, an off-boarddevice, a hybrid device (e.g., combining cellular phone functionalitieswith PDA device functionalities), a consumer device, a vehicular device,a non-vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a non-mobile ornon-portable device, a mobile phone, a cellular telephone, a PCS device,a PDA device which incorporates a wireless communication device, amobile or portable GPS device, a DVB device, a relatively smallcomputing device, a non-desktop computer, a “Carry Small Live Large”(CSLL) device, an Ultra Mobile Device (UMD), an Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC),a Mobile Internet Device (MID), an “Origami” device or computing device,a device that supports Dynamically Composable Computing (DCC), acontext-aware device, a video device, an audio device, an A/V device, aSet-Top-Box (STB), a Blu-ray disc (BD) player, a BD recorder, a DigitalVideo Disc (DVD) player, a High Definition (HD) DVD player, a DVDrecorder, a HD DVD recorder, a Personal Video Recorder (PVR), abroadcast HD receiver, a video source, an audio source, a video sink, anaudio sink, a stereo tuner, a broadcast radio receiver, a flat paneldisplay, a Personal Media Player (PMP), a digital video camera (DVC), adigital audio player, a speaker, an audio receiver, an audio amplifier,a gaming device, a data source, a data sink, a Digital Still camera(DSC), a media player, a Smartphone, a television, a music player, orthe like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may include, for example,one or more of a processor 191, an input unit 192, an output unit 193, amemory unit 194, and/or a storage unit 195; and/or device 140 mayinclude, for example, one or more of a processor 181, an input unit 182,an output unit 183, a memory unit 184, and/or a storage unit 185.Devices 102 and/or 140 may optionally include other suitable hardwarecomponents and/or software components. In some demonstrativeembodiments, some or all of the components of one or more of devices 102and/or 140 may be enclosed in a common housing or packaging, and may beinterconnected or operably associated using one or more wired orwireless links. In other embodiments, components of one or more ofdevices 102 and/or 140 may be distributed among multiple or separatedevices.

In some demonstrative embodiments, processor 191 and/or processor 181may include, for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a DigitalSignal Processor (DSP), one or more processor cores, a single-coreprocessor, a dual-core processor, a multiple-core processor, amicroprocessor, a host processor, a controller, a plurality ofprocessors or controllers, a chip, a microchip, one or more circuits,circuitry, a logic unit, an Integrated Circuit (IC), anApplication-Specific IC (ASIC), or any other suitable multi-purpose orspecific processor or controller. Processor 191 may executeinstructions, for example, of an Operating System (OS) of device 102and/or of one or more suitable applications. Processor 181 may executeinstructions, for example, of an Operating System (OS) of device 140and/or of one or more suitable applications.

In some demonstrative embodiments, input unit 192 and/or input unit 182may include, for example, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a touch-screen,a touch-pad, a track-ball, a stylus, a microphone, or other suitablepointing device or input device. Output unit 193 and/or output unit 183may include, for example, a monitor, a screen, a touch-screen, a flatpanel display, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display unit, a LiquidCrystal Display (LCD) display unit, a plasma display unit, one or moreaudio speakers or earphones, or other suitable output devices.

In some demonstrative embodiments, memory unit 194 and/or memory unit184 includes, for example, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read OnlyMemory (ROM), a Dynamic RAM (DRAM), a Synchronous DRAM (SD-RAM), a flashmemory, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a cache memory, abuffer, a short term memory unit, a long term memory unit, or othersuitable memory units. Storage unit 195 and/or storage unit 185 mayinclude, for example, a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a CompactDisk (CD) drive, a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive, or other suitableremovable or non-removable storage units. Memory unit 194 and/or storageunit 195, for example, may store data processed by device 102. Memoryunit 184 and/or storage unit 185, for example, may store data processedby device 140.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 and/or device 140 mayinclude and/or perform the functionality of one or more STAs. Forexample, device 102 may include at least one STA, and/or device 140 mayinclude at least one STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 and/or device 140 mayinclude, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of one or more DMGSTAs. For example, device 102 may include, operate as, and/or performthe functionality of, at least one DMG STA, and/or device 140 mayinclude, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of, at least oneDMG STA.

In other embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may operate as and/orperform one or more functionalities of any other wireless device and/orstation, e.g., a WLAN STA, a WiFi STA, and the like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 and/or device 140 may beconfigured to operate as, perform a role of, and/or perform thefunctionality of, an access point (AP), e.g., a DMG AP, and/or apersonal basic service set (PBSS) control point (PCP), e.g., a DMG PCP,for example, an AP/PCP STA, e.g., a DMG AP/PCP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 and/or device 140 may beconfigured to operate as, perform a role of, and/or perform thefunctionality of, a non-AP STA, e.g., a DMG non-AP STA, and/or a non-PCPSTA, e.g., a DMG non-PCP STA, for example, a non-AP/PCP STA, e.g., a DMGnon-AP/PCP STA.

In other embodiments, device 102 and/or device 140 may operate as,perform a role of, and/or perform one or more functionalities of, anyother additional or alternative device and/or station.

In one example, a station (STA) may include a logical entity that is asingly addressable instance of a medium access control (MAC) andphysical layer (PHY) interface to the wireless medium (WM). The STA mayperform any other additional or alternative functionality.

In one example, an AP may include an entity that contains a station(STA), e.g., one STA, and provides access to distribution services, viathe wireless medium (WM) for associated STAs. The AP may perform anyother additional or alternative functionality.

In one example, a personal basic service set (PBSS) control point (PCP)may include an entity that contains a STA, e.g., one station (STA), andcoordinates access to the wireless medium (WM) by STAs that are membersof a PBSS. The PCP may perform any other additional or alternativefunctionality.

In one example, a PBSS may include a directional multi-gigabit (DMG)basic service set (BSS) that includes, for example, one PBSS controlpoint (PCP). For example, access to a distribution system (DS) may notbe present, but, for example, an intra-PBSS forwarding service mayoptionally be present.

In one example, a PCP/AP STA may include a station (STA) that is atleast one of a PCP or an AP. The PCP/AP STA may perform any otheradditional or alternative functionality.

In one example, a non-AP STA may include a STA that is not containedwithin an AP. The non-AP STA may perform any other additional oralternative functionality.

In one example, a non-PCP STA may include a STA that is not a PCP. Thenon-PCP STA may perform any other additional or alternativefunctionality.

In one example, a non PCP/AP STA may include a STA that is not a PCP andthat is not an AP. The non-PCP/AP STA may perform any other additionalor alternative functionality.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication device 102and/or device 140 may be capable of communicating content, data,information and/or signals via a wireless medium (WM) 103. In somedemonstrative embodiments, wireless medium 103 may include, for example,a radio channel, a cellular channel, an RF channel, a WiFi channel, anIR channel, a Bluetooth (BT) channel, a Global Navigation SatelliteSystem (GNSS) Channel, and the like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, WM 103 may include one or moredirectional bands and/or channels. For example, WM 103 may include oneor more millimeter-wave (mmWave) wireless communication bands and/orchannels.

In some demonstrative embodiments, WM 103 may include one or more DMGchannels. In other embodiments, WM 103 may include any other directionalchannels.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 and/or device 140 mayinclude one or more radios including circuitry and/or logic to performwireless communication between devices 102, 140 and/or one or more otherwireless communication devices. For example, device 102 may include atleast one radio 114, and/or device 140 may include at least one radio144.

In some demonstrative embodiments, radio 114 and/or radio 144 mayinclude one or more wireless receivers (Rx) including circuitry and/orlogic to receive wireless communication signals, RF signals, frames,blocks, transmission streams, packets, messages, data items, and/ordata. For example, radio 114 may include at least one receiver 116,and/or radio 144 may include at least one receiver 146.

In some demonstrative embodiments, radio 114 and/or radio 144 mayinclude one or more wireless transmitters (Tx) including circuitryand/or logic to transmit wireless communication signals, RF signals,frames, blocks, transmission streams, packets, messages, data items,and/or data. For example, radio 114 may include at least one transmitter118, and/or radio 144 may include at least one transmitter 148.

In some demonstrative embodiments, radio 114 and/or radio 144,transmitters 118 and/or 148, and/or receivers 116 and/or 146 may includecircuitry; logic; Radio Frequency (RF) elements, circuitry and/or logic;baseband elements, circuitry and/or logic; modulation elements,circuitry and/or logic; demodulation elements, circuitry and/or logic;amplifiers; analog to digital and/or digital to analog converters;filters; and/or the like. For example, radio 114 and/or radio 144 mayinclude or may be implemented as part of a wireless Network InterfaceCard (NIC), and the like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, radios 114 and/or 144 may beconfigured to communicate over a directional band, for example, a mmWaveband, and/or any other band, for example, a 2.4 GHz band, a 5 GHz band,a S1G band, and/or any other band.

In some demonstrative embodiments, radio 114 and/or radio 144 mayinclude, or may be associated with, one or more antennas 107 and/or 147,respectively.

In one example, device 102 may include a single antenna 107. In anotherexample, device 102 may include two or more antennas 107.

In one example, device 140 may include a single antenna 147. In anotherexample, device 140 may include two or more antennas 147.

Antennas 107 and/or 147 may include any type of antennas suitable fortransmitting and/or receiving wireless communication signals, blocks,frames, transmission streams, packets, messages and/or data. Forexample, antennas 107 and/or 147 may include any suitable configuration,structure and/or arrangement of one or more antenna elements,components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. Antennas 107 and/or 147 mayinclude, for example, antennas suitable for directional communication,e.g., using beamforming techniques. For example, antennas 107 and/or 147may include a phased array antenna, a multiple element antenna, a set ofswitched beam antennas, and/or the like. In some embodiments, antennas107 and/or 147 may implement transmit and receive functionalities usingseparate transmit and receive antenna elements. In some embodiments,antennas 107 and/or 147 may implement transmit and receivefunctionalities using common and/or integrated transmit/receiveelements.

In some demonstrative embodiments, antennas 107 and/or 147 may include adirectional antenna, which may be configured to be steered to aplurality of beam directions.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may include a controller124, and/or device 140 may include a controller 154. Controllers 124and/or 154 may be configured to perform one or more communications, maygenerate and/or communicate one or more messages and/or transmissions,and/or may perform one or more functionalities, operations and/orprocedures between devices 102, 140 and/or one or more other devices,e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, controllers 124 and/or 154 mayinclude circuitry and/or logic, e.g., one or more processors includingcircuitry and/or logic, memory circuitry and/or logic, Media-AccessControl (MAC) circuitry and/or logic, Physical Layer (PHY) circuitryand/or logic, and/or any other circuitry and/or logic, configured toperform the functionality of controllers 124 and/or 154, respectively.Additionally or alternatively, one or more functionalities ofcontrollers 124 and/or 154 may be implemented by logic, which may beexecuted by a machine and/or one or more processors, e.g., as describedbelow.

In one example, controller 124 may include circuitry and/or logic, forexample, one or more processors including circuitry and/or logic, tocause, trigger and/or control a wireless device, e.g., device 102,and/or a wireless station, e.g., a wireless STA implemented by device102, to perform one or more operations, communications and/orfunctionalities, e.g., as described herein.

In one example, controller 154 may include circuitry and/or logic, forexample, one or more processors including circuitry and/or logic, tocause, trigger and/or control a wireless device, e.g., device 140,and/or a wireless station, e.g., a wireless STA implemented by device140, to perform one or more operations, communications and/orfunctionalities, e.g., as described herein.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may include a messageprocessor 128 configured to generate, process and/or access one ormessages communicated by device 102.

In one example, message processor 128 may be configured to generate oneor more messages to be transmitted by device 102, and/or messageprocessor 128 may be configured to access and/or to process one or moremessages received by device 102, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 140 may include a messageprocessor 158 configured to generate, process and/or access one ormessages communicated by device 140.

In one example, message processor 158 may be configured to generate oneor more messages to be transmitted by device 140, and/or messageprocessor 158 may be configured to access and/or to process one or moremessages received by device 140, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, message processors 128 and/or 158 mayinclude circuitry and/or logic, e.g., one or more processors includingcircuitry and/or logic, memory circuitry and/or logic, Media-AccessControl (MAC) circuitry and/or logic, Physical Layer (PHY) circuitryand/or logic, and/or any other circuitry and/or logic, configured toperform the functionality of message processors 128 and/or 158,respectively. Additionally or alternatively, one or more functionalitiesof message processors 128 and/or 158 may be implemented by logic, whichmay be executed by a machine and/or one or more processors, e.g., asdescribed below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality ofmessage processor 128 may be implemented as part of radio 114, and/or atleast part of the functionality of message processor 158 may beimplemented as part of radio 144.

In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality ofmessage processor 128 may be implemented as part of controller 124,and/or at least part of the functionality of message processor 158 maybe implemented as part of controller 154.

In other embodiments, the functionality of message processor 128 may beimplemented as part of any other element of device 102, and/or thefunctionality of message processor 158 may be implemented as part of anyother element of device 140.

In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality ofcontroller 124 and/or message processor 128 may be implemented by anintegrated circuit, for example, a chip, e.g., a System on Chip (SoC).In one example, the chip or SoC may be configured to perform one or morefunctionalities of radio 114. For example, the chip or SoC may includeone or more elements of controller 124, one or more elements of messageprocessor 128, and/or one or more elements of radio 114. In one example,controller 124, message processor 128, and radio 114 may be implementedas part of the chip or SoC.

In other embodiments, controller 124, message processor 128 and/or radio114 may be implemented by one or more additional or alternative elementsof device 102.

In some demonstrative embodiments, at least part of the functionality ofcontroller 154 and/or message processor 158 may be implemented by anintegrated circuit, for example, a chip, e.g., a System on Chip (SoC).In one example, the chip or SoC may be configured to perform one or morefunctionalities of radio 144. For example, the chip or SoC may includeone or more elements of controller 154, one or more elements of messageprocessor 158, and/or one or more elements of radio 144. In one example,controller 154, message processor 158, and radio 144 may be implementedas part of the chip or SoC.

In other embodiments, controller 154, message processor 158 and/or radio144 may be implemented by one or more additional or alternative elementsof device 140.

Some demonstrative embodiments may be implemented, for example, inaccordance with a new standard in an mmWave band, e.g., a 60 GHzfrequency band or any other directional band, for example, as anevolution of an IEEE 802.11ad standard.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may beconfigured according to one or more standards, for example, inaccordance with an IEEE 802.11ay Standard, which may be, for example,configured to enhance the efficiency and/or performance of an IEEE802.11ad Specification, which may be configured to provide Wi-Ficonnectivity in a 60 GHz band.

Some demonstrative embodiments may enable, for example, to significantlyincrease data transmission rates defined in the IEEE 802.11adspecification, which may, for example, satisfy growing demand in networkcapacity for new coming applications.

Some communications over a wireless communication band, for example, aDMG band or any other band, may be performed over a single channelbandwidth (BW). For example, the IEEE 802.11ad Specification defines a60 GHz system with a single channel bandwidth (BW) of 2.16 GHz, which isto be used by all Stations (STAs) for both transmission and reception.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 and/or device 140 may beconfigured to implement one or more mechanisms, which may, for example,enable to extend a single-channel BW scheme, e.g., a scheme inaccordance with the IEEE 802.11ad Specification or any other scheme, forhigher data rates and/or increased capabilities, e.g., as describedbelow.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 and/or device 140 may beconfigured to implement one or more channel bonding mechanisms, whichmay, for example, support communication over bonded channels.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the channel bonding mechanisms mayinclude, for example, a mechanism and/or an operation whereby two ormore channels can be combined, e.g., for a higher bandwidth of packettransmission, for example, to enable achieving higher data rates, e.g.,when compared to transmissions over a single channel. Some demonstrativeembodiments are described herein with respect to communication over abonded channel, however other embodiments may be implemented withrespect to communications over a channel, e.g., a “wide” channel,including or formed by two or more channels, for example, an aggregatedchannel including an aggregation of two or more channels.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 and/or device 140 may beconfigured to implement one or more channel bonding mechanisms, whichmay, for example, support an increased channel bandwidth, for example, achannel BW of 4.32 GHz, a channel BW of 6.48 GHz, and/or any otheradditional or alternative channel BW.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may beconfigured to communicate over a Next Generation 60 GHz (NG60) network,an Extended DMG (EDMG) network, and/or any other network. For example,devices 102 and/or 140 may be configured to use channel bonding, forexample, for communicating over the NG60 and/or EDMG networks.

Some Specifications, e.g., an IEEE 802.11ad Specification, may beconfigured to support a Single User (SU) system, in which a Station(STA) cannot transmit frames to more than a single STA at a time. SuchSpecifications may not be able, for example, to support a STAtransmitting to multiple STAs simultaneously, for example, using amulti-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) scheme, e.g., a downlink (DL) MU-MIMO, or anyother MU scheme.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may beconfigured to implement one or more Multi-User (MU) mechanisms. Forexample, devices 102 and/or 140 may be configured to implement one ormore MU mechanisms, which may be configured to enable MU communicationof Downlink (DL) frames using a Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO)scheme, for example, between a device, e.g., device 102, and a pluralityof devices, e.g., including device 140 and/or one or more other devices.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may beconfigured to communicate over a Next Generation 60 GHz (NG60) network,an Extended DMG (EDMG) network, and/or any other network. For example,devices 102 and/or 140 may be configured to communicate MIMO, e.g., DLMU-MIMO, transmissions and/or use channel bonding, for example, forcommunicating over the NG60 and/or EDMG networks.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may beconfigured to support one or more mechanisms and/or features, forexample, channel bonding, single user (SU) MIMO, and/or and multi user(MU) MIMO, for example, in accordance with an IEEE 802.11ay Standardand/or any other standard and/or protocol.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may include,operate as, perform a role of, and/or perform the functionality of, oneor more EDMG STAs. For example, device 102 may include, operate as,perform a role of, and/or perform the functionality of, at least oneEDMG STA, and/or device 140 may include, operate as, perform a role of,and/or perform the functionality of, at least one EDMG STA.

In one example, an EDMG STA may include a DMG STA whose radiotransmitter is capable of transmitting and receiving EDMG physical layer(PHY) protocol data units (PPDUs). The EDMG STA may perform any otheradditional or alternative functionality.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may includeEDMG STAs capable of communicating in an EDMG BSS.

In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may perform thefunctionality of an AP STA, and/or device 140 may perform thefunctionality of a non-AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, MU-MIMO communication performed by anAP STA, which may simultaneously transmit to multiple STAs, for example,during a frame that starts and ends at the same time.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a directionality of communicationsover a directional frequency band may be an important factor, which mayenable for example, to implement unsynchronized MU-MIMO communications,for example, to enable a transmission, e.g., each transmission, from anantenna of an AP STA to a non-AP STA to be performed independently fromanother transmission from another antenna of the AP STA to anothernon-AP STA, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may beconfigured to perform MU-MIMO communication, in which a station, e.g.,device 102, may independently transmit to each STA of a plurality ofstations, for example, including device 140, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a wireless device, e.g., device 102,may be configured to implement a plurality of independent antennas, forexample, while enabling improvements for handovers between the pluralityof independent antennas, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a wireless device, e.g., device 102,may be configured to implement a plurality of independent antennas,while enabling improvements for interference coordination between theplurality of independent antennas, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102 and/or 140 may beconfigured to perform MU-MIMO communication, in which a firsttransmission from a first antenna of a first STA, e.g., a STAimplemented by device 102, to a second STA, e.g., a STA implemented bydevice 140, over a first wireless link, may be independent from a secondtransmission from a second antenna of the first STA, e.g., a secondantenna of device 102, to a third STA over a second wireless link, e.g.,as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a wireless device, e.g., device 102,may be configured to operate as, perform the role of, and/or perform oneor more functionalities of a multi-sectorized antenna AP STA, which mayinclude a plurality of sectorized antennas, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a wireless device, e.g., device 102,may be configured to operate as, perform the role of, and/or perform oneor more functionalities of a multi-sectorized antenna AP STA, which maybe configured to perform unsynchronized MU-MIMO communication via theplurality of sectorized antennas, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the multi-sectorized antenna AP STA,e.g., device 102, may be configured to perform one or more signalingoperations and/or communications, for example, to support communicationvia the plurality of sectorized antennas, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the plurality of sectorized antennasmay be complementary, for example to enable quasi-omni coverage, e.g.,as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, two or more sectorized antennas mayhave at least partially overlapping coverage.

In some demonstrative embodiments, two or more sectorized antennas mayhave non-overlapping coverage.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a multi-sectorized antenna STA, e.g.,a multi-sectorized antenna AP STA, may include a plurality of sectorizedantennas having different, non-overlapping coverage.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a multi-sectorized antenna STA, e.g.,a multi-sectorized antenna AP STA, may include a plurality of sectorizedantennas, of which some antenna sectors may have non-overlappingcoverage, while other antenna sectors may have overlapping coverage.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the plurality of sectorized antennasmay be configured to have different coverage, for example, to enable atleast to reduce interference between the sectorized antennas, e.g., asdescribed below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a sectorized antenna of the pluralityof sectorized antennas, e.g., each sectorized antenna, may be associatedwith a baseband (BB) processing, and a Media Access Control (MAC)Enhanced Distributed Channel Access Function (EDCAF), e.g., as describedbelow.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a sectorized antenna of the pluralityof sectorized antennas, e.g., each sectorized antenna, may be fullyindependent from other sectorized antennas of the plurality ofsectorized antennas, e.g., as described below.

In one example, the sectorized antenna may be configured to transmit orreceive, for example, even without requiring any time synchronizationwith other sectorized antennas of the plurality of sectorized antennas.For example, a first sectorized antenna of the plurality of sectorizedantennas may be able to transmit a transmission, while a secondsectorized antenna of the plurality of sectorized antennas may receive atransmission.

In some demonstrative embodiments, two or more sectorized antennas ofthe plurality of antennas may be operated at a synchronized manner. Forexample, the two sectorized antennas may be operated to transmitsimultaneously, an/or the two sectorized antennas may be operated toreceive simultaneously.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a multi-sectorized antenna STA, e.g.,a multi-sectorized antenna AP STA, for example, device 102, may includea common or shared MAC module, which may be configured to commonlycontrol the plurality of sectorized antennas, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the common MAC may be configured toperform coordination between the plurality of sectorized antennas, toperform interference mitigation between the plurality of sectorizedantennas, and/or to handle association with one or more STAs, and/or toperform one or more additional or alternative upper-MAC operationsand/or functionalities, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a multi-sectorized antenna STA, e.g.,a multi-sectorized antenna AP STA, for example, device 102, mayimplement an architecture, which may be configured to support and/orenable operation of the plurality of sectorized antennas, e.g., asdescribed below.

Reference is made to FIG. 2, which schematically illustrates anarchitecture of a wireless station 200 having a plurality of sectorizedantennas, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a wireless STA, for example, an APSTA, e.g., device 102 (FIG. 1), may implement wireless station 200, forexample, to support and/or enable one or more operations of a pluralityof sectorized antennas, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, wireless station200 may include an upper MAC component 210.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may include,and/or may be implemented, for example, by an upper MAC controller. Inone example, controller 124 (FIG. 1) and/or message processor 128(FIG. 1) may include, perform the role of, perform one or moreoperations of, and/or perform one or more functionalities of upper MACcomponent 210.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may be uniquefor an AP STA, e.g., the AP STA may include one upper MAC component. Inother embodiments, one or more functionalities of upper AMC component210 may be distributed between two or more upper MAC components of thewireless station 200.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to present a single MAC Service Access Point (SAP) to upperlayers of the wireless station 200.

In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, wireless station200 may include a plurality of lower MAC components, e.g., lower MACcomponents 220, 230 and 240.

In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, wireless station200 may include a plurality of Physical layer (PHY) components, e.g.,PHY components 222, 232 and 242.

In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, wireless station200 may include a plurality of sectorized antennas, e.g., sectorizedantennas 224, 234 and 244.

In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, the plurality ofsectorized antennas may be associated with respective ones of theplurality of lower MAC components, and/or with respective ones of thePHY components.

In one example, as shown in FIG. 2, sectorized antenna 224 may beassociated with PHY component 222 and lower MAC component 220;sectorized antenna 234 may be associated with PHY component 232 andlower MAC component 230; and/or sectorized antenna 244 may be associatedwith PHY component 242 and lower MAC component 240.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the plurality of lower MAC componentsmay include, and/or may be implemented, for example, by a respectiveplurality of lower MAC controllers. In one example, controller 124(FIG. 1) and/or message processor 128 (FIG. 1) may include, perform therole of, perform one or more operations of, and/or perform one or morefunctionalities of the plurality of lower MAC components.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the plurality of PHY components mayinclude, and/or may be implemented, for example, by a respectiveplurality of PHY controllers. In one example, controller 124 (FIG. 1)and/or message processor 128 (FIG. 1) may include, perform the role of,perform one or more operations of, and/or perform one or morefunctionalities of the plurality of PHY components.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the plurality of sectorized antennasmay include, and/or may be implemented by, for example, antennas 107(FIG. 1).

In some demonstrative embodiments, the plurality of PHY components mayinclude circuitry and/or logic configured to communicate via therespective plurality of sectorized antennas over a directional frequencyband. For example, PHY component 222 may be configured to communicatevia sectorized antenna 224, PHY component 232 may be configured tocommunicate via sectorized antenna 234, and/or PHY component 242 may beconfigured to communicate via sectorized antenna 244.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a lower MAC component of theplurality of lower MAC components may be configured to control channelaccess of the wireless station 200 via a respective sectorized antennaof the plurality of sectorized antennas.

In one example, a lower MAC component of the plurality of lower MACcomponents may be configured to manage and/or control, for example, atleast a clear channel assessment (CCA), and/or an EDCAF over a channelvia the sectorized antenna associated with the lower MAC component.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a lower MAC component of theplurality of lower MAC components may be configured to process MACProtocol Data Units (PDUs) to be communicated via the sectorized antennaassociated with the lower MAC component.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a lower MAC component of theplurality of lower MAC components may be configured to generate the MACPDUs to be transmitted via the sectorized antenna associated with thelower MAC component.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the lower MAC component of theplurality of lower MAC components may be configured to process receivedMAC PDUs, and/or to manage retransmissions of the received MAC PDUs,e.g., via the sectorized antenna associated with the lower MACcomponent.

For example, lower MAC component 220 may be configured to controlchannel access of wireless station 200 via sectorized antenna 224 and/orto generate and/or process MAC PDUs to be communicated via sectorizedantenna 224; lower MAC component 230 may be configured to controlchannel access of wireless station 200 via sectorized antenna 234 and/orto generate and/or process MAC PDUs to be communicated via sectorizedantenna 234; and/or lower MAC component 240 may be configured to controlchannel access of wireless station 200 via sectorized antenna 244 and/orto generate and/or process MAC PDUs to be communicated via sectorizedantenna 244.

In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, upper MACcomponent 210 may be connected to, coupled to, associated with and/orconfigured to manage and/or control one or more operations of theplurality of lower MAC components 220, 230 and/or 240.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to coordinate unsynchronized communication via the pluralityof sectorized antennas 224, 234, and/or 244, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to coordinate the unsynchronized communication, for example,by coordinating, triggering, controlling and/or managing, transmissionvia at least one first sectorized antenna, for example, simultaneouslywith reception via at least one second sectorized antenna. For example,upper MAC component 210 may be configured to coordinate transmission viasectorized antenna 224 simultaneously with reception via sectorizedantenna 244.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to coordinate the unsynchronized communication, for example,by coordinating, triggering, controlling and/or managing a MUcommunication including transmission to at least one first user STA viathe at least one first sectorized antenna, and reception from at leastone second user STA via the at least one second sectorized antenna. Forexample, upper MAC component 210 may be configured to coordinatetransmission via sectorized antenna 224 to one or more users 226, andreception from one or more users 236 via sectorized antenna 234, e.g.,during one or more non overlapping, partially overlapping, and/or fullyoverlapping time periods.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to coordinate the unsynchronized communication, for example,by coordinating, triggering, controlling and/or managing a MU-MIMOcommunication including, for example, beamformed transmission to the atleast one first user STA via at least one first sectorized antenna, andbeamformed reception from at least one second user STA via at least onesecond sectorized antenna. For example, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to coordinate beamformed transmission via sectorized antenna224 to one or more users 226, and beamformed reception from one or moreusers 236 via sectorized antenna 234, e.g., during one or more nonoverlapping, partially overlapping, and/or fully overlapping timeperiods.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to manage association between wireless STA 200, e.g., an APSTA, and one or more other wireless stations, e.g., one or more userSTAs 226 and/or 236.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to manage security of communication via the plurality ofsectorized antennas, e.g., with user STAs 226 and/or 236.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to manage interference coordination and/or mitigation betweenthe plurality of sectorized antennas of wireless station 200, e.g., asdescribed below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to indicate a sectorized antenna of the plurality ofsectorized antennas, a respective lower MAC component of the pluralityof lower MAC components, and/or a respective PHY component of theplurality of PHY components, which may be used for a communicationbetween wireless station 200 and one or more user STAs, e.g., asdescribed below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause, trigger and/or control wireless station 200, e.g.,an AP STA, to transmit an information element (IE) via at least onesectorized antenna of the plurality of sectorized antennas. For example,upper MAC component 210 may cause trigger and/or control wirelessstation 200 to transmit the IE via sectorized antenna 224.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the information element (alsoreferred to as the sectorized antenna IE″) may include at least a MACaddress of the wireless station 200, e.g., a MAC address of the AP STA,and a field to indicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs) of theplurality of sectorized antennas implemented by wireless station 200,e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause, trigger and/or control wireless station 200, e.g.,an AP STA, to transmit the sectorized antenna information element in oneor more pre-association frames, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause, trigger and/or control wireless station 200, e.g.,an AP STA, to transmit the sectorized antenna information element in abeacon frame.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause, trigger and/or control wireless station 200, e.g.,an AP STA, to transmit the sectorized antenna information element in oneor more post-association frames.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause, trigger and/or control wireless station 200, e.g.,an AP STA, to transmit the sectorized antenna information element in abeamforming training frame.

For example, upper MAC component 210 may be configured to cause, triggerand/or control wireless station 200, e.g., an AP STA, to transmit thesectorized antenna information element in one or more Sector Sweep (SSW)frames, and/or one or more Beam Refinement Protocol (BRP) frames.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause, trigger and/or control wireless station 200, e.g.,an AP STA, to transmit the sectorized antenna information element in oneor more additional or alternative types of frames.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the sectorized antenna informationelement may include an indication of at least one sectorized antennacapability supported by the wireless station 200, e.g., the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the at least one sectorized antennacapability may include, for example, a capability of fast transitionbetween sectorized antennas, e.g., to switch between sectorized antennasof wireless station 200.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the at least one sectorized antennacapability may include, for example, a capability of interferencecoordination and/or mitigation between sectorized antennas of wirelessstation 200.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the at least one sectorized antennacapability may include, for example, a capability ofmulti-sectorized-antenna communication, e.g., connection, transmissionand/or reception via the plurality of sectorized antennas of wirelessstation 200.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the sectorized antenna IE may includea field including a plurality of ID values corresponding to theplurality of IDs of the plurality of sectorized antennas of wirelessstation 200.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the sectorized antenna IE may includea field including a total number of the plurality of sectorized antennasimplemented by wireless station 200. For example, the plurality of IDsof the plurality of sectorized antennas of wireless station 200 may bedetermined, e.g., inexplicitly, for example, based on the number of theplurality of sectorized antennas implemented by wireless station 200.For example, the plurality of sectorized antennas of wireless station200 may be assigned with IDs, for example, according to order, e.g.,from 1 to the total number of the plurality of sectorized antennasimplemented by wireless station 200.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 200, e.g., the APSTA, may be configured to operate at one or more modes of operation,e.g., including at least a first mode of operation, and/or a second modeof operation. In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 200may be configured to operate at only one of the first and second modesof operation, at more than the first and second modes of operation,e.g., three modes of operations, and/or at one or more additional oralternative modes of operation.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 200, e.g., the APSTA, may be configured to operate at a mode of operation (“the firstmode of operation”), at which wireless station 200 may maintain a singleMAC address, for example, even without including any furtheridentification information in one or more frames communicated bywireless station 200, e.g., except for the information in the sectorizedantenna information element, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, an AP STA, e.g., wireless station200, may be configured to send a plurality of beacons including thesectorized antenna information element, for example, via a plurality ofdifferent sectorized antennas, e.g., at different instants, for example,in an unsynchronized manner.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station200, may be configured to selectively switch between synchronized andunsynchronized communication via the plurality of sectorized antennas,for example, according to a time-domain scheme. For example, the AP STAmay be configured to operate the plurality of sectorized antennas at asynchronized mode, e.g., such that communication via all of thesectorized antennas is synchronized, for example, during one or morefirst time-domain phases; and/or to operate the plurality of sectorizedantennas at an unsynchronized mode, e.g., such that communication viasome or all of the sectorized antennas is not synchronized, for example,during one or more second time-domain phases.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause the AP STA to indicate, e.g., in one or more of thebeacon frames, the timing and/or duration of the first and/or secondtime-domain phases.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station200, may be configured to serve one or more wireless stations, which maybe associated with the AP STA, via a single sectorized antenna of the APSTA and/or via multiple sectorized antennas of the AP STA.

In one example, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station 200, may beconfigured to serve a first wireless station, which may be associatedwith the AP STA, via a single sectorized antenna of the AP STA, and/orto serve a second wireless station, which may be associated with the APSTA, via multiple sectorized antenna of the AP STA.

In another example, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station 200, may beconfigured to serve all wireless stations, which may be associated withthe AP STA, via a single sectorized antenna of the AP STA.

In another example, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station 200, may beconfigured to serve all wireless stations, which may be associated withthe AP STA, via multiple sectorized antenna of the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the combination of the MAC addressesand the sector ID information, e.g., which may be included in thesectorized antenna IE, may be sufficient, for example, to identify theAP STA to one or more wireless stations.

In some demonstrative embodiments, an AP STA, e.g., wireless station200, may be configured to operate at a second mode of operation, e.g.,as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station200, may include an ID of a sectorized antenna (“the sectorized antennaID”) in pre-association exchanges, e.g., beacon frames, and in frameexchanges, e.g., during beamforming, as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, there may be at least two options toenable the AP STA to include the sectorized antenna ID in one of moreframes, for example, in pre-association and/or post-association frames,e.g., as described below. In other embodiments, any other mechanism maybe implemented to allow the AP STA to signal the sectorized antenna IDin one or more frames.

In some demonstrative embodiments, according to a first implementationoption, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station 200, may be configured toinclude the sectorized antenna ID in a MAC header of one or more frames,for example, in pre-association and/or post-association frames, e.g., asdescribed below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station200, may be configured to generate, set and/or encode a MAC header to beincluded in a header of a frame, for example, by modifying a MAC addressfield, which may be included in the MAC header of the frame, forexample, according to a parsing function, e.g., such that the MAC headermay encode both the MAC address of the AP STA and the sectorized antennaID.

In one example, the last three Least Significant Bits (LSB) of the MACaddress may be configured to encode the sectorized antenna ID, while theother bits of the MAC address may be utilized to encode the MAC addressof the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause the AP STA to transmit a frame including a MACheader including a MAC address field.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause the AP STA to configure the MAC address field toinclude a combination of the MAC address of the AP and an ID of thesectorized antenna, which may be used by the AP STA to transmit theframe.

In some demonstrative embodiments, according to a second implementationoption, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station 200, may be configured toutilize a field, e.g., a new of dedicated field, to signal a sector IDof a sectorized antenna to transmit a frame, e.g., a pr-association orpost-association frame, for example, while the MAC header of the framemay include the MAC address of the AP STA, e.g., without modification.

In some demonstrative embodiments, an antenna ID field may be includedin the MAC header, e.g., in addition to the MAC address field, of one ormore frames, e.g., pre-association and/or the post-association frames,communicated by the AP STA.

In other embodiments, the antenna ID field may be included in a PHYheader of one or more frames, e.g., pre-association and/or thepost-association frames, communicated by the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station200, may be configured to include in a frame the antenna ID fieldincluding the indication the sectorized antenna ID to transmit theframe, for example, in all transmissions from the AP STA, for example,to enable wireless stations to be associated to the AP STA and tocommunicate with the AP STA, e.g., only via a specific sectored antenna,which may be indicated in the antenna ID field.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause the AP STA to transmit a frame including a MACheader including a MAC address field.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the MAC address field may include theMAC address of the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause the AP STA to configure the frame to include anantenna ID field including an ID of a sectorized antenna to transmit theframe, e.g., the sectorized antenna ID.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a wireless station, e.g., a wirelessstation 226, may receive the sectorized antenna information element fromwireless station 200. For example, device 140 (FIG. 1) may operate as,perform a role of, and/or perform one or more functionalities of,wireless station 226.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 226 may beconfigured to process the information element from the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 226 may include acontroller, e.g., a MAC controller, an upper or lower MAC controller,and/or a PHY controller, to process the information element from the AP.In one example, controller 154 (FIG. 1) may be configured to operate as,and/or perform one or more functionalities of, the MAC controller, theupper MAC controller, the lower MAC controller, and/or the PHYcontroller of wireless station 226.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the sectorized antenna informationelement from the AP STA may include at least the MAC address of the APSTA, a field to indicate the plurality of IDs of the plurality ofsectorized antennas of the AP STA, and an indication of at least onesectorized antenna capability supported by the AP STA, e.g., asdescribed above.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the field indicating the plurality ofIDs of the plurality of sectorized antennas of the AP STA may include atotal number of the plurality of sectorized antennas of the AP STA,e.g., as described above.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 226 may beconfigured to determine the plurality of IDs of the plurality ofsectorized antennas of the AP STA, for example, based on the totalnumber of the plurality of sectorized antennas. For example, wirelessstation 226 may be configured to determine the plurality of IDs of theplurality of sectorized antennas of the AP STA by assigning IDs, e.g.,in increasing order beginning at 1 to the total number of indicated bythe sectorized antenna IE.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 226 may beconfigured to communicate with at least one sectorized antenna of the APSTA, for example, according to the at least one sectorized antennacapability supported by the AP STA, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, if all sectorizedantennas of the AP STA are operated in an unsynchronized monde, awireless station, e.g., wireless station 226, which is to associate withthe AP STA, may detect signals from a sectorized antenna of the AP STA,and may associate with the AP STA to communicate via the detectedsectorized antenna of the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the wireless station 226 may performbeamforming training with the AP STA, for example, with the detectedsectorized antenna of the STA AP, for example, by including the sectorID of the detected sectorized antenna in beamforming frames to betransmitted to the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the wireless station 226 maydetermine that the AP STA is a multi-sectorized APS STA including aplurality of sectorized antennas, for example, based on a sectorizedantenna IE, which may be received from the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 226 and may performone or more operations, for example, based on the sectorized antennacapability supported by the AP STA, e.g., as indicated by the sectorizedantenna IE.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the AP STA may operate in asynchronized mode, for example, during at least one or more, e.g.,during some or all, service periods of one or more Beacon Intervals(BIs), e.g., every BI.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the wireless station 226 mayassociate with the AP STA via a sectorized antenna, e.g., even anysectorized antenna, of the plurality of sectorized antennas of the APSTA, for example, if the AP STA operates at the synchronized mode duringthe one or more service periods, e.g., of each BI.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the wireless station 226 maydetermine that the AP STA is a multi-sectorized APS STA including aplurality of sectorized antennas, for example, based on a sectorizedantenna IE, which may be received from the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 226 and may performone or more operations, for example, based on the sectorized antennacapability supported by the AP STA, e.g., as indicated by the sectorizedantenna IE.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 226 may process aframe, e.g., a pre-association frame or a post-association frame,including the indication of sector ID of the sectorized antenna of theAP STA, which is used to transmit the frame, e.g., as described above.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the frame may include a MAC headerincluding a MAC address field, which may encode a combination of the MACaddress of the AP STA and the sector ID, e.g., as described above.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the frame may include a MAC addressfield including the MAC address of the AP, and an antenna ID field toinclude the ID of the sectorized antenna, e.g., as described above.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 226 may transmit abeamforming training frame to perform beamforming training with thesectorized antenna of the AP, for example, based on the necrotizedantenna ID in the frame detected from the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the beamforming frame may include anID of the sectorized antenna, e.g., the same antenna ID indicated by theframe from the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station200, may receive the beamforming frame from the wireless station 226 andmay perform one or more operations, e.g., as described below.

In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, the AP STA may requestthe wireless station to communicate only with a sectorized antenna ofthe plurality of sectorized antennas of the AP STA, e.g., during anunsynchronized MU-MIMO period. According to these embodiments, thewireless station may perform beamforming training with the sectorizedantenna, e.g., as requested by the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, for example, if the beamformingtraining is initiated by the AP STA, the AP STA may proceed to performbeamforming training with the wireless station, for example, based onthe beamforming frame received from the wireless station.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the beamforming training may beinitiated by the wireless station, e.g., by sending one or more SSWand/or BRP frames to the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the AP STA may be allowed to respondto the beamforming frames from the wireless station, for example, if theAP STA is capable of determining, e.g., for each sectorized antenna ofthe AP STA, from which wireless station with a frame is being received,e.g., based on a transmitter address indicated by the frame; and/or ifthe AP STA is capable of determining whether or not to respond to thewireless station. For example, the AP STA may be capable of selecting torespond to a beamforming frame received from a STA via a sectorizedantenna, e.g., if the STA is part of one or more STAs that are to beserved by the sectorized antenna of the AP STA, or selecting not torespond to the beamforming frame, for example, if the STA is not part ofthe one or more STAs that are served by the sectorized antenna of the APSTA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 226, e.g., device140 (FIG. 1), may be configured to generate and/or transmit to an APSTA, e.g., device 102 (FIG. 1), a beamforming frame to performbeamforming with a sectorized antenna of the AP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless station 226, e.g., device140 (FIG. 1), may be configured to generate and/or transmit thebeamforming frame including an ID of the sectorized antenna of the APSTA, with which the beamforming training is to be performed.

In some demonstrative embodiments, the beamforming training frame mayinclude a field including the sectorized antenna ID of the AP to receivethe beamforming training frame.

In some demonstrative embodiments, including the ID of the sectorizedantenna of the AP STA in the beamforming training frame from wirelessstation 226 may enable, for example, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station200, to determine whether or not to respond to the beamforming frame,for example, even if the AP STA is not capable of identifying whichsectorized antenna is to be used for beamforming with the STA from whichthe beamforming training frame is received.

In some demonstrative embodiments, including the ID of the sectorizedantenna of the AP STA in the beamforming training frame from wirelessstation 226 may enable, for example, the AP STA, e.g., wireless station200, to selectively respond to beamforming training frames, for example,to avoid a situation where the AP STA responds to each beamformingtraining frame received via any sectorized antenna, e.g., even if a STAtransmitting the beamforming training frame is not to be served by thesectorized antenna receiving the beamforming training frame.

In some demonstrative embodiments, one or more reserved bits may be usedto indicate the sectorized antenna ID of the AP STA, for example, if thebeamforming training frame includes a BRP frame.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a control trailer at the end of theBRP frame may be used to indicate the sectorized antenna ID of the APSTA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a control trailer at the end of anSSW frame may be used to indicate the sectorized antenna ID of the APSTA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, a modified, dedicated and/or new SSWframe format (“enhanced_SSW frame”) may be defined, for example, toinclude a field configured to indicate the sectorized antenna ID of theAP STA.

In some demonstrative embodiments, upper MAC component 210 may beconfigured to cause the AP STA, e.g., wireless station 200, toselectively respond to a beamforming training frame, for example, basedon a comparison between a first sectorized antenna ID indicated in thebeamforming training frame, and a second sectorized ID of a sectorizedantenna, via which the beamforming training frame is received.

For example, upper MAC component 210 may be configured to cause the APSTA to respond to the beamforming training frame, for example, only ifthe first sectorized antenna ID indicated in the beamforming trainingframe matches the second sectorized ID of the sectorized antenna, viawhich the beamforming training frame is received.

For example, upper MAC component 210 may be configured to cause the APSTA to select not to respond to the beamforming training frame, forexample, if the first sectorized antenna ID indicated in the beamformingtraining frame does not match the second sectorized ID of the sectorizedantenna, via which the beamforming training frame is received.

Reference is made to FIG. 3, which schematically illustrates a coveragescheme 300 of a plurality of sectorized antennas of an AP 302, inaccordance with some demonstrative embodiments. For example, AP 302 mayinclude, operate as, and/or perform one or more functionalities of,wireless station 200 (FIG. 2). For example, device 102 (FIG. 1) may beconfigured to operate as, perform a role of, and/or perform one or morefunctionalities of, AP 302.

In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3, the plurality ofsectorized antennas of AP 302 may include a first sectorized antenna 322to communicate with one or more users 326, a second sectorized antenna332 to communicate with one or more users 336, and/or a third sectorizedantenna 342 to communicate with one or more users 346.

In some demonstrative embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3, there may be anoverlap between the coverage of sectorized antennas 322 and 332, and/orbetween sectorized antennas 332 and 342, for example, to enable handoffbetween sectorized antennas 322, 332, and/or 342.

Reference is made to FIG. 4, which schematically illustrates a method ofcommunicating via a plurality of sectorized antennas, in accordance withsome demonstrative embodiments. For example, one or more of theoperations of the method of FIG. 4 may be performed by one or moreelements of a system, e.g., system 100 (FIG. 1), for example, one ormore wireless devices, e.g., device 102 (FIG. 1), and/or device 140(FIG. 1); a controller, e.g., controller 154 (FIG. 1), and/or controller124 (FIG. 1); a radio, e.g., radio 114 (FIG. 1), and/or radio 144 (FIG.1); a transmitter, e.g., transmitter 118 (FIG. 1), and/or transmitter148 (FIG. 1); a receiver e.g., receiver 116 (FIG. 1), and/or receiver146 (FIG. 1); and/or a message processor, e.g., message processor 128(FIG. 1), and/or message processor 158 (FIG. 1); an upper MAC component,e.g., upper MAC component 210 (FIG. 2); a lower MAC component, e.g.,lower MAC components 220, 230 and/or 240 (FIG. 2); and/or a lower PHYcomponent, e.g., lower PHY components 222, 232 and/or 242 (FIG. 2).

As indicated at block 402, the method may include operating a pluralityof PHY components to communicate via a respective plurality ofsectorized antennas of a wireless station over a directional frequencyband. For example, upper MAC component 210 (FIG. 2) may operate theplurality of PHY components 222, 232 and/or 242 (FIG. 2) to communicatevia the respective plurality of sectorized antennas 224, 234, and/or 244(FIG. 2) of the wireless station 200 (FIG. 2) over a directionalfrequency band, e.g., as described above.

As indicated at block 404, the method may include operating a pluralityof lower MAC components by causing a lower MAC component of theplurality of lower MAC components to control channel access of thewireless station via a respective sectorized antenna of the plurality ofsectorized antennas, and to process MAC PDUs to be communicated via thesectorized antenna. For example, lower MAC component 222 (FIG. 2) maycontrol channel access of the wireless station 200 (FIG. 2) viasectorized antenna 224 (FIG. 2), and/or may process MAC PDUs to becommunicated via sectorized antenna 224 (FIG. 2), e.g., as describedabove.

As indicated at block 406, the method may include transmitting aninformation element via at least one sectorized antenna of the pluralityof sectorized antennas, the information element including at least a MACaddress of the wireless station, and a field to indicate a plurality ofidentifiers (IDs) of the plurality of sectorized antennas. For example,MAC component 210 (FIG. 2) may cause wireless station 200 (FIG. 2) totransmit via at least one sectorized antenna of the plurality ofsectorized antennas of wireless station (FIG. 2), a sectorized antennainformation element including at least the MAC address of the wirelessstation 200 (FIG. 2), and a field to indicate the plurality of IDs ofthe plurality of sectorized antennas of wireless station 200 (FIG. 2),e.g., as described above.

Reference is made to FIG. 5, which schematically illustrates a method ofcommunicating with wireless station having a plurality of sectorizedantennas, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. Forexample, one or more of the operations of the method of FIG. 5 may beperformed by one or more elements of a system, e.g., system 100 (FIG.1), for example, one or more wireless devices, e.g., device 102 (FIG.1), and/or device 140 (FIG. 1); a controller, e.g., controller 154 (FIG.1), and/or controller 124 (FIG. 1); a radio, e.g., radio 114 (FIG. 1),and/or radio 144 (FIG. 1); a transmitter, e.g., transmitter 118 (FIG.1), and/or transmitter 148 (FIG. 1); a receiver e.g., receiver 116 (FIG.1), and/or receiver 146 (FIG. 1); and/or a message processor, e.g.,message processor 128 (FIG. 1), and/or message processor 158 (FIG. 1);and/or a wireless station, e.g., wireless station 226 (FIG. 2).

As indicated at block 502, the method may include processing at a firstwireless station an information element from a second wireless station,the information element may include at least a MAC address of the secondwireless station, a field to indicate a plurality of IDs of a pluralityof sectorized antennas of the second wireless station, and an indicationof at least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the secondwireless station. For example, device 140 (FIG. 1) may process asectorized antenna information element from an AP STA, e.g., wirelessstation 200 (FIG. 2). The information element may include, for example,the MAC address of the AP STA, a field to indicate the plurality of IDsof the plurality of sectorized antennas of the AP STA, and theindication of at least one sectorized antenna capability supported bythe AP STA, e.g., as described above.

As indicated at block 504, the method may include communicating with atleast one sectorized antenna of the second wireless station according tothe at least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the secondwireless station. For example, controller 154 (FIG. 1) may be configuredto cause, trigger and/or control the wireless station implemented bydevice 140 (FIG. 1) to communicate with at least one sectorized antennaof the AP STA according to the at least one sectorized antennacapability supported by the AP STA, e.g., as described above.

Reference is made to FIG. 6, which schematically illustrates a productof manufacture 600, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.Product 600 may include one or more tangible computer-readablenon-transitory storage media 602, which may include computer-executableinstructions, e.g., implemented by logic 604, operable to, when executedby at least one computer processor, enable the at least one computerprocessor to implement one or more operations at device 102 (FIG. 1),device 140 (FIG. 1), radio 114 (FIG. 1), radio 144 (FIG. 1), transmitter118 (FIG. 1), transmitter 148 (FIG. 1), receiver 116 (FIG. 1), receiver146 (FIG. 1), controller 124 (FIG. 1), controller 154 (FIG. 1), messageprocessor 128 (FIG. 1), and/or message processor 158 (FIG. 1), wirelessstation 200 (FIG. 200), wireless station 226 (FIG. 2), upper MACcomponent 210 (FIG. 2), lower MAC components 220, 230 and/or 240 (FIG.2), lower PHY components 222, 232 and/or 242 (FIG. 2), and/or toperform, trigger and/or implement one or more operations, communicationsand/or functionalities as described above with reference to FIGS. 1, 2,3, 4, and/or 5, and/or one or more operations described herein. Thephrase “non-transitory machine-readable medium” is directed to includeall computer-readable media, with the sole exception being a transitorypropagating signal.

In some demonstrative embodiments, product 600 and/or machine-readablestorage medium 602 may include one or more types of computer-readablestorage media capable of storing data, including volatile memory,non-volatile memory, removable or non-removable memory, erasable ornon-erasable memory, writeable or re-writeable memory, and the like. Forexample, machine-readable storage medium 602 may include, RAM, DRAM,Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDR-DRAM), SDRAM, static RAM (SRAM), ROM,programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electricallyerasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), Compact Disk ROM (CD-ROM), CompactDisk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW), flash memory(e.g., NOR or NAND flash memory), content addressable memory (CAM),polymer memory, phase-change memory, ferroelectric memory,silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, a disk, a floppydisk, a hard drive, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a card, a magneticcard, an optical card, a tape, a cassette, and the like. Thecomputer-readable storage media may include any suitable media involvedwith downloading or transferring a computer program from a remotecomputer to a requesting computer carried by data signals embodied in acarrier wave or other propagation medium through a communication link,e.g., a modem, radio or network connection.

In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 604 may include instructions,data, and/or code, which, if executed by a machine, may cause themachine to perform a method, process and/or operations as describedherein. The machine may include, for example, any suitable processingplatform, computing platform, computing device, processing device,computing system, processing system, computer, processor, or the like,and may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware,software, firmware, and the like.

In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 604 may include, or may beimplemented as, software, firmware, a software module, an application, aprogram, a subroutine, instructions, an instruction set, computing code,words, values, symbols, and the like. The instructions may include anysuitable type of code, such as source code, compiled code, interpretedcode, executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. Theinstructions may be implemented according to a predefined computerlanguage, manner or syntax, for instructing a processor to perform acertain function. The instructions may be implemented using any suitablehigh-level, low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and/orinterpreted programming language, such as C, C++, C#, Java, Python,BASIC, Matlab, Pascal, Visual BASIC, assembly language, machine code,and the like.

EXAMPLES

The following examples pertain to further embodiments.

Example 1 includes an apparatus comprising a plurality of Physical layer(PHY) components comprising circuitry to communicate via a respectiveplurality of sectorized antennas of a wireless station over adirectional frequency band; a plurality of lower Medium Access Control(MAC) components, a lower MAC component of the plurality of lower MACcomponents configured to control channel access of the wireless stationvia a respective sectorized antenna of the plurality of sectorizedantennas, and to process MAC Protocol Data Units (PDUs) to becommunicated via the sectorized antenna; and an upper MAC componentconfigured to cause the wireless station to transmit an informationelement via at least one sectorized antenna of the plurality ofsectorized antennas, the information element comprising at least a MACaddress of the wireless station, and a field to indicate a plurality ofidentifiers (IDs) of the plurality of sectorized antennas.

Example 2 includes the subject matter of Example 1, and optionally,wherein the upper MAC component is configured to coordinateunsynchronized communication via the plurality of sectorized antennas,the unsynchronized communication comprising transmission via at leastone first sectorized antenna simultaneously with reception via at leastone second sectorized antenna.

Example 3 includes the subject matter of Example 2, and optionally,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a Multi-User (MU)communication comprising transmission to at least one first user via theat least one first sectorized antenna, and reception from at least onesecond user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 4 includes the subject matter of Example 3, and optionally,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a MUMultiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) communication comprisingbeamformed transmission to the at least one first user via the at leastone first sectorized antenna, and beamformed reception from the at leastone second user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 5 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-4, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause thewireless station to transmit a frame comprising a MAC header comprisinga MAC address field, the MAC address field comprising a combination ofthe MAC address of the wireless station and an ID of a sectorizedantenna to transmit the frame.

Example 6 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-4, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause thewireless station to transmit a frame comprising a MAC header, the MACheader comprising a MAC address field comprising the MAC address of thewireless station, the frame comprising an antenna ID field comprising anID of a sectorized antenna to transmit the frame.

Example 7 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-6, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to determine afirst sectorized antenna ID based on a Transmit Address (TA) in abeamforming training frame from another station, and to cause thewireless station to selectively respond to the beamforming trainingframe based on a comparison between the first sectorized antenna ID anda second sectorized antenna ID of a sectorized antenna, via which thebeamforming training frame is received.

Example 8 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-7, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause thewireless station to selectively respond to a beamforming training framebased on a comparison between a first sectorized antenna ID indicated inthe beamforming training frame, and a second sectorized ID of asectorized antenna, via which the beamforming training frame isreceived.

Example 9 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-8, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a plurality of ID values.

Example 10 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-9, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a total number of the pluralityof sectorized antennas.

Example 11 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-10, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause thewireless station to transmit the information element in a beacon frame.

Example 12 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-11, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause thewireless station to transmit the information element in a beamformingtraining frame.

Example 13 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-12, andoptionally, wherein the information element comprises an indication ofat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the wirelessstation.

Example 14 includes the subject matter of Example 13, and optionally,wherein the at least one sectorized antenna capability comprises atleast one capability selected from the group consisting of fasttransition between sectorized antennas, interference coordinationbetween sectorized antennas, and multi-sectorized-antenna communication.

Example 15 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-14, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to manageassociation between the wireless stations and one or more other wirelessstations.

Example 16 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-15, andoptionally, wherein the wireless station comprises an Access Point (AP).

Example 17 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-16, andoptionally, comprising the plurality of sectorized antennas.

Example 18 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 1-17, andoptionally, comprising a memory and a processor.

Example 19 includes a system of wireless communication comprising awireless station, the wireless station comprising a plurality ofsectorized antennas; a memory; a processor; a plurality of Physicallayer (PHY) components comprising circuitry to communicate via theplurality of sectorized antennas over a directional frequency band; aplurality of lower Medium Access Control (MAC) components, a lower MACcomponent of the plurality of lower MAC components configured to controlchannel access of the wireless station via a respective sectorizedantenna of the plurality of sectorized antennas, and to process MACProtocol Data Units (PDUs) to be communicated via the sectorizedantenna; and an upper MAC component configured to cause the wirelessstation to transmit an information element via at least one sectorizedantenna of the plurality of sectorized antennas, the information elementcomprising at least a MAC address of the wireless station, and a fieldto indicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs) of the plurality ofsectorized antennas.

Example 20 includes the subject matter of Example 19, and optionally,wherein the upper MAC component is configured to coordinateunsynchronized communication via the plurality of sectorized antennas,the unsynchronized communication comprising transmission via at leastone first sectorized antenna simultaneously with reception via at leastone second sectorized antenna.

Example 21 includes the subject matter of Example 20, and optionally,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a Multi-User (MU)communication comprising transmission to at least one first user via theat least one first sectorized antenna, and reception from at least onesecond user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 22 includes the subject matter of Example 21, and optionally,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a MUMultiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) communication comprisingbeamformed transmission to the at least one first user via the at leastone first sectorized antenna, and beamformed reception from the at leastone second user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 23 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-22, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause thewireless station to transmit a frame comprising a MAC header comprisinga MAC address field, the MAC address field comprising a combination ofthe MAC address of the wireless station and an ID of a sectorizedantenna to transmit the frame.

Example 24 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-22, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause thewireless station to transmit a frame comprising a MAC header, the MACheader comprising a MAC address field comprising the MAC address of thewireless station, the frame comprising an antenna ID field comprising anID of a sectorized antenna to transmit the frame.

Example 25 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-24, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to determine afirst sectorized antenna ID based on a Transmit Address (TA) in abeamforming training frame from another station, and to cause thewireless station to selectively respond to the beamforming trainingframe based on a comparison between the first sectorized antenna ID anda second sectorized antenna ID of a sectorized antenna, via which thebeamforming training frame is received.

Example 26 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-25, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause thewireless station to selectively respond to a beamforming training framebased on a comparison between a first sectorized antenna ID indicated inthe beamforming training frame, and a second sectorized ID of asectorized antenna, via which the beamforming training frame isreceived.

Example 27 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-26, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a plurality of ID values.

Example 28 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-27, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a total number of the pluralityof sectorized antennas.

Example 29 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-28, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause thewireless station to transmit the information element in a beacon frame.

Example 30 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-29, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause thewireless station to transmit the information element in a beamformingtraining frame.

Example 31 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-30, andoptionally, wherein the information element comprises an indication ofat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the wirelessstation.

Example 32 includes the subject matter of Example 31, and optionally,wherein the at least one sectorized antenna capability comprises atleast one capability selected from the group consisting of fasttransition between sectorized antennas, interference coordinationbetween sectorized antennas, and multi-sectorized-antenna communication.

Example 33 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-32, andoptionally, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to manageassociation between the wireless stations and one or more other wirelessstations.

Example 34 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 19-33, andoptionally, wherein the wireless station comprises an Access Point (AP).

Example 35 includes a method to be performed at a wireless station, themethod comprising operating a plurality of Physical layer (PHY)components to communicate via a respective plurality of sectorizedantennas of the wireless station over a directional frequency band;operating a plurality of lower Medium Access Control (MAC) components bycausing a lower MAC component of the plurality of lower MAC componentsto control channel access of the wireless station via a respectivesectorized antenna of the plurality of sectorized antennas, and toprocess MAC Protocol Data Units (PDUs) to be communicated via thesectorized antenna; and transmitting an information element via at leastone sectorized antenna of the plurality of sectorized antennas, theinformation element comprising at least a MAC address of the wirelessstation, and a field to indicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs) of theplurality of sectorized antennas.

Example 36 includes the subject matter of Example 35, and optionally,comprising coordinating unsynchronized communication via the pluralityof sectorized antennas, the unsynchronized communication comprisingtransmission via at least one first sectorized antenna simultaneouslywith reception via at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 37 includes the subject matter of Example 36, and optionally,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a Multi-User (MU)communication comprising transmission to at least one first user via theat least one first sectorized antenna, and reception from at least onesecond user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 38 includes the subject matter of Example 37, and optionally,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a MUMultiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) communication comprisingbeamformed transmission to the at least one first user via the at leastone first sectorized antenna, and beamformed reception from the at leastone second user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 39 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-38, andoptionally, comprising transmitting a frame comprising a MAC headercomprising a MAC address field, the MAC address field comprising acombination of the MAC address of the wireless station and an ID of asectorized antenna to transmit the frame.

Example 40 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-38, andoptionally, comprising transmitting a frame comprising a MAC header, theMAC header comprising a MAC address field comprising the MAC address ofthe wireless station, the frame comprising an antenna ID fieldcomprising an ID of a sectorized antenna to transmit the frame.

Example 41 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-40, andoptionally, comprising determining a first sectorized antenna ID basedon a Transmit Address (TA) in a beamforming training frame from anotherstation, and selectively responding to the beamforming training framebased on a comparison between the first sectorized antenna ID and asecond sectorized antenna ID of a sectorized antenna, via which thebeamforming training frame is received.

Example 42 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-41, andoptionally, comprising selectively responding to a beamforming trainingframe based on a comparison between a first sectorized antenna IDindicated in the beamforming training frame, and a second sectorized IDof a sectorized antenna, via which the beamforming training frame isreceived.

Example 43 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-42, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a plurality of ID values.

Example 44 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-43, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a total number of the pluralityof sectorized antennas.

Example 45 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-44, andoptionally, comprising transmitting the information element in a beaconframe.

Example 46 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-45, andoptionally, comprising transmitting the information element in abeamforming training frame.

Example 47 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-46, andoptionally, wherein the information element comprises an indication ofat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the wirelessstation.

Example 48 includes the subject matter of Example 47, and optionally,wherein the at least one sectorized antenna capability comprises atleast one capability selected from the group consisting of fasttransition between sectorized antennas, interference coordinationbetween sectorized antennas, and multi-sectorized-antenna communication.

Example 49 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-48, andoptionally, comprising managing association between the wirelessstations and one or more other wireless stations.

Example 50 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 35-49, andoptionally, wherein the wireless station comprises an Access Point (AP).

Example 51 includes a product including one or more tangiblecomputer-readable non-transitory storage media comprisingcomputer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at leastone computer processor, enable the at least one computer processor toimplement operations at a wireless station, the operations comprisingoperating a plurality of Physical layer (PHY) components to communicatevia a respective plurality of sectorized antennas of the wirelessstation over a directional frequency band; operating a plurality oflower Medium Access Control (MAC) components by causing a lower MACcomponent of the plurality of lower MAC components to control channelaccess of the wireless station via a respective sectorized antenna ofthe plurality of sectorized antennas, and to process MAC Protocol DataUnits (PDUs) to be communicated via the sectorized antenna; andtransmitting an information element via at least one sectorized antennaof the plurality of sectorized antennas, the information elementcomprising at least a MAC address of the wireless station, and a fieldto indicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs) of the plurality ofsectorized antennas.

Example 52 includes the subject matter of Example 51, and optionally,wherein the operations comprise coordinating unsynchronizedcommunication via the plurality of sectorized antennas, theunsynchronized communication comprising transmission via at least onefirst sectorized antenna simultaneously with reception via at least onesecond sectorized antenna.

Example 53 includes the subject matter of Example 52, and optionally,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a Multi-User (MU)communication comprising transmission to at least one first user via theat least one first sectorized antenna, and reception from at least onesecond user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 54 includes the subject matter of Example 53, and optionally,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a MUMultiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) communication comprisingbeamformed transmission to the at least one first user via the at leastone first sectorized antenna, and beamformed reception from the at leastone second user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 55 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-54, andoptionally, wherein the operations comprise transmitting a framecomprising a MAC header comprising a MAC address field, the MAC addressfield comprising a combination of the MAC address of the wirelessstation and an ID of a sectorized antenna to transmit the frame.

Example 56 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-54, andoptionally, wherein the operations comprise transmitting a framecomprising a MAC header, the MAC header comprising a MAC address fieldcomprising the MAC address of the wireless station, the frame comprisingan antenna ID field comprising an ID of a sectorized antenna to transmitthe frame.

Example 57 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-56, andoptionally, wherein the operations comprise determining a firstsectorized antenna ID based on a Transmit Address (TA) in a beamformingtraining frame from another station, and selectively responding to thebeamforming training frame based on a comparison between the firstsectorized antenna ID and a second sectorized antenna ID of a sectorizedantenna, via which the beamforming training frame is received.

Example 58 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-57, andoptionally, wherein the operations comprise selectively responding to abeamforming training frame based on a comparison between a firstsectorized antenna ID indicated in the beamforming training frame, and asecond sectorized ID of a sectorized antenna, via which the beamformingtraining frame is received.

Example 59 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-58, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a plurality of ID values.

Example 60 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-59, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a total number of the pluralityof sectorized antennas.

Example 61 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-60, andoptionally, wherein the operations comprise transmitting the informationelement in a beacon frame.

Example 62 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-61, andoptionally, wherein the operations comprise transmitting the informationelement in a beamforming training frame.

Example 63 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-62, andoptionally, wherein the information element comprises an indication ofat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the wirelessstation.

Example 64 includes the subject matter of Example 63, and optionally,wherein the at least one sectorized antenna capability comprises atleast one capability selected from the group consisting of fasttransition between sectorized antennas, interference coordinationbetween sectorized antennas, and multi-sectorized-antenna communication.

Example 65 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-64, andoptionally, wherein the operations comprise managing association betweenthe wireless stations and one or more other wireless stations.

Example 66 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 51-65, andoptionally, wherein the wireless station comprises an Access Point (AP).

Example 67 includes an apparatus of wireless communication by a wirelessstation, the apparatus comprising means for operating a plurality ofPhysical layer (PHY) components to communicate via a respectiveplurality of sectorized antennas of the wireless station over adirectional frequency band; means for operating a plurality of lowerMedium Access Control (MAC) components by causing a lower MAC componentof the plurality of lower MAC components to control channel access ofthe wireless station via a respective sectorized antenna of theplurality of sectorized antennas, and to process MAC Protocol Data Units(PDUs) to be communicated via the sectorized antenna; and means fortransmitting an information element via at least one sectorized antennaof the plurality of sectorized antennas, the information elementcomprising at least a MAC address of the wireless station, and a fieldto indicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs) of the plurality ofsectorized antennas.

Example 68 includes the subject matter of Example 67, and optionally,comprising means for coordinating unsynchronized communication via theplurality of sectorized antennas, the unsynchronized communicationcomprising transmission via at least one first sectorized antennasimultaneously with reception via at least one second sectorizedantenna.

Example 69 includes the subject matter of Example 68, and optionally,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a Multi-User (MU)communication comprising transmission to at least one first user via theat least one first sectorized antenna, and reception from at least onesecond user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 70 includes the subject matter of Example 69, and optionally,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a MUMultiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) communication comprisingbeamformed transmission to the at least one first user via the at leastone first sectorized antenna, and beamformed reception from the at leastone second user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.

Example 71 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-70, andoptionally, comprising means for transmitting a frame comprising a MACheader comprising a MAC address field, the MAC address field comprisinga combination of the MAC address of the wireless station and an ID of asectorized antenna to transmit the frame.

Example 72 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-70, andoptionally, comprising means for transmitting a frame comprising a MACheader, the MAC header comprising a MAC address field comprising the MACaddress of the wireless station, the frame comprising an antenna IDfield comprising an ID of a sectorized antenna to transmit the frame.

Example 73 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-72, andoptionally, comprising means for determining a first sectorized antennaID based on a Transmit Address (TA) in a beamforming training frame fromanother station, and selectively responding to the beamforming trainingframe based on a comparison between the first sectorized antenna ID anda second sectorized antenna ID of a sectorized antenna, via which thebeamforming training frame is received.

Example 74 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-73, andoptionally, comprising means for selectively responding to a beamformingtraining frame based on a comparison between a first sectorized antennaID indicated in the beamforming training frame, and a second sectorizedID of a sectorized antenna, via which the beamforming training frame isreceived.

Example 75 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-74, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a plurality of ID values.

Example 76 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-75, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a total number of the pluralityof sectorized antennas.

Example 77 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-76, andoptionally, comprising means for transmitting the information element ina beacon frame.

Example 78 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-77, andoptionally, comprising means for transmitting the information element ina beamforming training frame.

Example 79 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-78, andoptionally, wherein the information element comprises an indication ofat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the wirelessstation.

Example 80 includes the subject matter of Example 79, and optionally,wherein the at least one sectorized antenna capability comprises atleast one capability selected from the group consisting of fasttransition between sectorized antennas, interference coordinationbetween sectorized antennas, and multi-sectorized-antenna communication.

Example 81 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-80, andoptionally, comprising means for managing association between thewireless stations and one or more other wireless stations.

Example 82 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 67-81, andoptionally, wherein the wireless station comprises an Access Point (AP).

Example 83 includes an apparatus comprising circuitry and logicconfigured to cause a first wireless station to process an informationelement from a second wireless station, the information elementcomprising at least a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the secondwireless station, a field to indicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs)of a plurality of sectorized antennas of the second wireless station,and an indication of at least one sectorized antenna capabilitysupported by the second wireless station; and communicate with at leastone sectorized antenna of the second wireless station according to theat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the secondwireless station.

Example 84 includes the subject matter of Example 83, and optionally,wherein the at least one sectorized antenna capability comprises atleast one capability selected from the group consisting of fasttransition between sectorized antennas, interference coordinationbetween sectorized antennas, and multi-sectorized-antenna communication.

Example 85 includes the subject matter of Example 83 or 84, andoptionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the firstwireless station to process a frame from the sectorized antenna of thesecond wireless station, the frame comprising a MAC header comprising aMAC address field, the MAC address field comprising a combination of theMAC address of the second wireless station and an ID of the sectorizedantenna.

Example 86 includes the subject matter of Example 83 or 84, andoptionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the firstwireless station to process a frame from the sectorized antenna of thesecond wireless station, the frame comprising a MAC header, the MACheader comprising a MAC address field comprising the MAC address of thesecond wireless station, the frame comprising an antenna ID fieldcomprising an ID of the sectorized antenna.

Example 87 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 83-86, andoptionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the firstwireless station to transmit a beamforming training frame to performbeamforming training with the sectorized antenna of the second wirelessstation, the beamforming frame comprising an ID of the sectorizedantenna.

Example 88 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 83-87, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a plurality of ID values.

Example 89 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 83-88, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a total number of the pluralityof sectorized antennas, the apparatus to cause the first wirelessstation to determine the plurality of IDs based on the total number ofthe plurality of sectorized antennas.

Example 90 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 83-89, andoptionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the firstwireless station to process a beacon frame comprising the informationelement.

Example 91 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 83-90, andoptionally, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the firstwireless station to process a beamforming training frame comprising theinformation element.

Example 92 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 83-91, andoptionally, wherein the second wireless station comprises an AccessPoint (AP).

Example 93 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 83-92, andoptionally, comprising one or more antennas, a memory and a processor.

Example 94 includes a system of wireless communication comprising afirst wireless station, the first wireless station comprising one ormore antennas; a memory; a processor; and a controller configured tocause the wireless station to process an information element from asecond wireless station, the information element comprising at least aMedium Access Control (MAC) address of the second wireless station, afield to indicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs) of a plurality ofsectorized antennas of the second wireless station, and an indication ofat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the secondwireless station; and communicate with at least one sectorized antennaof the second wireless station according to the at least one sectorizedantenna capability supported by the second wireless station.

Example 95 includes the subject matter of Example 94, and optionally,wherein the at least one sectorized antenna capability comprises atleast one capability selected from the group consisting of fasttransition between sectorized antennas, interference coordinationbetween sectorized antennas, and multi-sectorized-antenna communication.

Example 96 includes the subject matter of Example 94 or 95, andoptionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the firstwireless station to process a frame from the sectorized antenna of thesecond wireless station, the frame comprising a MAC header comprising aMAC address field, the MAC address field comprising a combination of theMAC address of the second wireless station and an ID of the sectorizedantenna.

Example 97 includes the subject matter of Example 94 or 95, andoptionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the firstwireless station to process a frame from the sectorized antenna of thesecond wireless station, the frame comprising a MAC header, the MACheader comprising a MAC address field comprising the MAC address of thesecond wireless station, the frame comprising an antenna ID fieldcomprising an ID of the sectorized antenna.

Example 98 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 94-97, andoptionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the firstwireless station to transmit a beamforming training frame to performbeamforming training with the sectorized antenna of the second wirelessstation, the beamforming frame comprising an ID of the sectorizedantenna.

Example 99 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 94-98, andoptionally, wherein the field comprises a plurality of ID values.

Example 100 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 94-99,and optionally, wherein the field comprises a total number of theplurality of sectorized antennas, the controller is configured to causethe first wireless station to determine the plurality of IDs based onthe total number of the plurality of sectorized antennas.

Example 101 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 94-100,and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the firstwireless station to process a beacon frame comprising the informationelement.

Example 102 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 94-101,and optionally, wherein the controller is configured to cause the firstwireless station to process a beamforming training frame comprising theinformation element.

Example 103 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 94-102,and optionally, wherein the second wireless station comprises an AccessPoint (AP).

Example 104 includes a method to be performed at a first wirelessstation, the method comprising processing an information element from asecond wireless station, the information element comprising at least aMedium Access Control (MAC) address of the second wireless station, afield to indicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs) of a plurality ofsectorized antennas of the second wireless station, and an indication ofat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the secondwireless station; and communicating with at least one sectorized antennaof the second wireless station according to the at least one sectorizedantenna capability supported by the second wireless station.

Example 105 includes the subject matter of Example 104, and optionally,wherein the at least one sectorized antenna capability comprises atleast one capability selected from the group consisting of fasttransition between sectorized antennas, interference coordinationbetween sectorized antennas, and multi-sectorized-antenna communication.

Example 106 includes the subject matter of Example 104 or 105, andoptionally, comprising processing a frame from the sectorized antenna ofthe second wireless station, the frame comprising a MAC headercomprising a MAC address field, the MAC address field comprising acombination of the MAC address of the second wireless station and an IDof the sectorized antenna.

Example 107 includes the subject matter of Example 104 or 105, andoptionally, comprising processing a frame from the sectorized antenna ofthe second wireless station, the frame comprising a MAC header, the MACheader comprising a MAC address field comprising the MAC address of thesecond wireless station, the frame comprising an antenna ID fieldcomprising an ID of the sectorized antenna.

Example 108 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 104-107,and optionally, comprising transmitting a beamforming training frame toperform beamforming training with the sectorized antenna of the secondwireless station, the beamforming frame comprising an ID of thesectorized antenna.

Example 109 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 104-108,and optionally, wherein the field comprises a plurality of ID values.

Example 110 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 104-109,and optionally, wherein the field comprises a total number of theplurality of sectorized antennas, comprising determining the pluralityof IDs based on the total number of the plurality of sectorizedantennas.

Example 111 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 104-110,and optionally, comprising processing a beacon frame comprising theinformation element.

Example 112 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 104-111,and optionally, comprising processing a beamforming training framecomprising the information element.

Example 113 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 104-112,and optionally, wherein the second wireless station comprises an AccessPoint (AP).

Example 114 includes a product including one or more tangiblecomputer-readable non-transitory storage media comprisingcomputer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at leastone computer processor, enable the at least one computer processor toimplement operations at a first wireless station, the operationscomprising processing an information element from a second wirelessstation, the information element comprising at least a Medium AccessControl (MAC) address of the second wireless station, a field toindicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs) of a plurality of sectorizedantennas of the second wireless station, and an indication of at leastone sectorized antenna capability supported by the second wirelessstation; and communicating with at least one sectorized antenna of thesecond wireless station according to the at least one sectorized antennacapability supported by the second wireless station.

Example 115 includes the subject matter of Example 114, and optionally,wherein the at least one sectorized antenna capability comprises atleast one capability selected from the group consisting of fasttransition between sectorized antennas, interference coordinationbetween sectorized antennas, and multi-sectorized-antenna communication.

Example 116 includes the subject matter of Example 114 or 115, andoptionally, wherein the operations comprise processing a frame from thesectorized antenna of the second wireless station, the frame comprisinga MAC header comprising a MAC address field, the MAC address fieldcomprising a combination of the MAC address of the second wirelessstation and an ID of the sectorized antenna.

Example 117 includes the subject matter of Example 114 or 115, andoptionally, wherein the operations comprise processing a frame from thesectorized antenna of the second wireless station, the frame comprisinga MAC header, the MAC header comprising a MAC address field comprisingthe MAC address of the second wireless station, the frame comprising anantenna ID field comprising an ID of the sectorized antenna.

Example 118 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 114-117,and optionally, wherein the operations comprise transmitting abeamforming training frame to perform beamforming training with thesectorized antenna of the second wireless station, the beamforming framecomprising an ID of the sectorized antenna.

Example 119 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 114-118,and optionally, wherein the field comprises a plurality of ID values.

Example 120 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 114-119,and optionally, wherein the field comprises a total number of theplurality of sectorized antennas, the operations comprising determiningthe plurality of IDs based on the total number of the plurality ofsectorized antennas.

Example 121 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 114-120,and optionally, wherein the operations comprise processing a beaconframe comprising the information element.

Example 122 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 114-121,and optionally, wherein the operations comprise processing a beamformingtraining frame comprising the information element.

Example 123 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 114-122,and optionally, wherein the second wireless station comprises an AccessPoint (AP).

Example 124 includes an apparatus of wireless communication by a firstwireless station, the apparatus comprising means for processing aninformation element from a second wireless station, the informationelement comprising at least a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of thesecond wireless station, a field to indicate a plurality of identifiers(IDs) of a plurality of sectorized antennas of the second wirelessstation, and an indication of at least one sectorized antenna capabilitysupported by the second wireless station; and means for communicatingwith at least one sectorized antenna of the second wireless stationaccording to the at least one sectorized antenna capability supported bythe second wireless station.

Example 125 includes the subject matter of Example 124, and optionally,wherein the at least one sectorized antenna capability comprises atleast one capability selected from the group consisting of fasttransition between sectorized antennas, interference coordinationbetween sectorized antennas, and multi-sectorized-antenna communication.

Example 126 includes the subject matter of Example 124 or 125, andoptionally, comprising means for processing a frame from the sectorizedantenna of the second wireless station, the frame comprising a MACheader comprising a MAC address field, the MAC address field comprisinga combination of the MAC address of the second wireless station and anID of the sectorized antenna.

Example 127 includes the subject matter of Example 124 or 125, andoptionally, comprising means for processing a frame from the sectorizedantenna of the second wireless station, the frame comprising a MACheader, the MAC header comprising a MAC address field comprising the MACaddress of the second wireless station, the frame comprising an antennaID field comprising an ID of the sectorized antenna.

Example 128 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 124-127,and optionally, comprising means for transmitting a beamforming trainingframe to perform beamforming training with the sectorized antenna of thesecond wireless station, the beamforming frame comprising an ID of thesectorized antenna.

Example 129 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 124-128,and optionally, wherein the field comprises a plurality of ID values.

Example 130 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 124-129,and optionally, wherein the field comprises a total number of theplurality of sectorized antennas, the apparatus comprising means fordetermining the plurality of IDs based on the total number of theplurality of sectorized antennas.

Example 131 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 124-130,and optionally, comprising means for processing a beacon framecomprising the information element.

Example 132 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 124-131,and optionally, comprising means for processing a beamforming trainingframe comprising the information element.

Example 133 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples 124-132,and optionally, wherein the second wireless station comprises an AccessPoint (AP).

Functions, operations, components and/or features described herein withreference to one or more embodiments, may be combined with, or may beutilized in combination with, one or more other functions, operations,components and/or features described herein with reference to one ormore other embodiments, or vice versa.

While certain features have been illustrated and described herein, manymodifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents may occur tothose skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that theappended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changesas fall within the true spirit of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of Physicallayer (PHY) components comprising circuitry to communicate via arespective plurality of sectorized antennas of a wireless station over adirectional frequency band; a plurality of lower Medium Access Control(MAC) components, a lower MAC component of the plurality of lower MACcomponents configured to control channel access of the wireless stationvia a respective sectorized antenna of the plurality of sectorizedantennas, and to process MAC Protocol Data Units (PDUs) to becommunicated via the respective sectorized antenna; and an upper MACcomponent configured to cause the wireless station to transmit aninformation element via at least one sectorized antenna of the pluralityof sectorized antennas, the information element comprising at least aMAC address of the wireless station, and a field to indicate a pluralityof identifiers (IDs) of the plurality of sectorized antennas.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper MAC component is configured tocoordinate unsynchronized communication via said plurality of sectorizedantennas, the unsynchronized communication comprising transmission viaat least one first sectorized antenna simultaneously with reception viaat least one second sectorized antenna.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein the unsynchronized communication comprises a Multi-User (MU)communication comprising transmission to at least one first user via theat least one first sectorized antenna, and reception from at least onesecond user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein the unsynchronized communication comprisesa MU Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) communication comprisingbeamformed transmission to the at least one first user via the at leastone first sectorized antenna, and beamformed reception from the at leastone second user via the at least one second sectorized antenna.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper MAC component is configured tocause the wireless station to transmit a frame comprising a MAC headercomprising a MAC address field, the MAC address field comprising acombination of the MAC address of the wireless station and an ID of asectorized antenna to transmit the frame.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause the wirelessstation to transmit a frame comprising a MAC header, the MAC headercomprising a MAC address field comprising the MAC address of thewireless station, the frame comprising an antenna ID field comprising anID of a sectorized antenna to transmit the frame.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the upper MAC component is configured to determine afirst sectorized antenna ID based on a Transmit Address (TA) in abeamforming training frame from another station, and to cause thewireless station to selectively respond to the beamforming trainingframe based on a comparison between the first sectorized antenna ID anda second sectorized antenna ID of a sectorized antenna, via which thebeamforming training frame is received.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the upper MAC component is configured to cause the wirelessstation to selectively respond to a beamforming training frame based ona comparison between a first sectorized antenna ID indicated in thebeamforming training frame, and a second sectorized ID of a sectorizedantenna, via which the beamforming training frame is received.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper MAC component is configured tocause the wireless station to transmit the information element in abeacon frame.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper MACcomponent is configured to cause the wireless station to transmit theinformation element in a beamforming training frame.
 11. The apparatusof claim 1, wherein the information element comprises an indication ofat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the wirelessstation.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least onesectorized antenna capability comprises at least one capability selectedfrom a group, consisting of fast transition between sectorized antennas,interference coordination between sectorized antennas, andmulti-sectorized-antenna communication.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1comprising the plurality of sectorized antennas.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 1 comprising a memory and a processor.
 15. A product including oneor more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage mediacomprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executedby at least one computer processor, enable the at least one computerprocessor to cause a wireless station to: operate a plurality ofPhysical layer (PHY) components to communicate via a respectiveplurality of sectorized antennas of the wireless station over adirectional frequency band; operate a plurality of lower Medium AccessControl (MAC) components by causing a lower MAC component of theplurality of lower MAC components to control channel access of thewireless station via a respective sectorized antenna of the plurality ofsectorized antennas, and to process MAC Protocol Data Units (PDUs) to becommunicated via the respective sectorized antenna; and transmit aninformation element via at least one sectorized antenna of the pluralityof sectorized antennas, the information element comprising at least aMAC address of the wireless station, and a field to indicate a pluralityof identifiers (IDs) of the plurality of sectorized antennas.
 16. Theproduct of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause thewireless station to coordinate unsynchronized communication via saidplurality of sectorized antennas, the unsynchronized communicationcomprising transmission via at least one first sectorized antennasimultaneously with reception via at least one second sectorizedantenna.
 17. The product of claim 15, wherein the instructions, whenexecuted, cause the wireless station to selectively respond to abeamforming training frame based on a comparison between a firstsectorized antenna ID indicated in the beamforming training frame, and asecond sectorized ID of a sectorized antenna, via which the beamformingtraining frame is received.
 18. An apparatus comprising circuitry andlogic configured to cause a first wireless station to: process aninformation element from a second wireless station, the informationelement comprising at least a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of thesecond wireless station, a field to indicate a plurality of identifiers(IDs) of a plurality of sectorized antennas of the second wirelessstation, and an indication of at least one sectorized antenna capabilitysupported by the second wireless station; and communicate with at leastone sectorized antenna of the second wireless station according to theat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the secondwireless station.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at leastone sectorized antenna capability comprises at least one capabilityselected from a group consisting of fast transition between sectorizedantennas, interference coordination between sectorized antennas, andmulti-sectorized-antenna communication.
 20. The apparatus of claim 18configured to cause the first wireless station to process a frame fromthe second wireless station, the frame comprising a MAC headercomprising a MAC address field, the MAC address field comprising acombination of the MAC address of the second wireless station and an IDof a sectorized antenna from which the frame is transmitted.
 21. Theapparatus of claim 18 configured to cause the first wireless station toprocess a frame from the second wireless station, the frame comprising aMAC header, the MAC header comprising a MAC address field comprising theMAC address of the second wireless station, the frame comprising anantenna ID field comprising an ID of a sectorized antenna from which theframe is transmitted.
 22. The apparatus of claim 18 configured to causethe first wireless station to transmit a beamforming training frame toperform beamforming training with the second wireless station, thebeamforming frame comprising an ID of a sectorized antenna forbeamforming training.
 23. The apparatus of claim 18 comprising one ormore antennas, a memory and a processor.
 24. A product including one ormore tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprisingcomputer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at leastone computer processor, enable the at least one computer processor tocause a first wireless station to: process an information element from asecond wireless station, the information element comprising at least aMedium Access Control (MAC) address of the second wireless station, afield to indicate a plurality of identifiers (IDs) of a plurality ofsectorized antennas of the second wireless station, and an indication ofat least one sectorized antenna capability supported by the secondwireless station; and communicate with at least one sectorized antennaof the second wireless station according to the at least one sectorizedantenna capability supported by the second wireless station.
 25. Theproduct of claim 24, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause thefirst wireless station to transmit a beamforming training frame toperform beamforming training with the second wireless station, thebeamforming frame comprising an ID of a sectorized antenna forbeamforming training.